The Effect of Living Place and Smoking on Blood Level of Lead, Cadmium and Mercury: As a Model of Pollutants in Human Blood

Abstract

It is known that heavy metals (as lead, cadmium and mercury) are naturally occurring elements that have a high atomic weight and a density 5 times greater than that of water. Their different industrial, domestic, agricultural, medical and technological applications may led to distribution widely in the environment, raising their harmful effects on human health and the environment. Their effects and degree of toxicity depend on several factors, including the level of these metals in the blood and the age, gender, genetics, smoking, living place, and nutritional status of exposed individuals. Accordingly and in fact is needed to estimate heavy metals levels in the blood of living people in different areas in Iraq from time to time. The present study was designed to search the relation between heavy metal (lead, cadmium, and mercury) levels in the blood of people and smoking, and living place (rural, and city center), gender, as factors that may aggravate heavy metal toxicity in Diyala Province. Total 72 patients were considered in this study. Group (A) of 21 males (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7) each sub group compose of three males, A1, A2, A3, from rural areas, while A4, A5, A6, A7,were from the center of the city, and group (B) of 51 females (B1. B2. B3, B4) each sub group of 12, 13, 8, 18 in number respectively according to availability, at age (≤ 29), and at age (≥30). The results showed that in comparison 1 the level of lead and cadmium in the blood of individuals living in the center of the city was significantly higher in comparison to those living in the village in both mail and females at age (≤ 29), While in comparison 2, it was noted that the level of lead and cadmium together in the villagers was more than its level in the blood of city resident individuals, but statistically was not significant. The city’s residents than those in rural areas had more levels of mercury in their blood in all comparisons but statistically was not significant between the studied groups. The smoking factor had an effect on the levels of heavy metals in the blood, as the level of lead in smokers was higher compared to its level in non-smokers (control group) in comparisons 3 and 1, while the opposite was in comparison 2, the level of lead increased in non-smokers but statistically was not significant. The level of cadmium in the blood of smokers was higher compared to its level in non-smokers in all comparisons, as well as with mercury, its level increased in smokers in comparisons 3 and 1, except for comparison 2, where its level increased in non-smokers. The concentration of lead and mercury did not exceed the internationally permissible limits in individuals’ blood, while the cadmium level exceeded the internationally permissible limits.